Die Arche (1919)

The shipbuilder Walter Fahr has built a submarine that is to make its maiden voyage under the command of Captain Donken. Astronomy professor Sotuma is also eager to come along, but Fahr refuses his request. The Japanese man then secretly slips in among the invited guests and manages to get aboard after all. The dive goes smoothly, but they have trouble surfacing when, to their surprise, the pump valves have disappeared. The crew work frantically to make replacement valves on board, while unease gradually spreads among the passengers. It turns out that Sotuma is responsible for the valves’ disappearance. They force him to hand back the valves he had taken, leaving the submarine unable to surface. Professor Sotuma is by no means a saboteur, however; he had good reason for what he did: the tail of Lund’s Comet, which is passing Earth, is so heavily laden with carbon monoxide that remaining on Earth at the crucial moment would wipe out all human life. As the submarine rises, it becomes clear that Sotuma was right. The submarine crew discover a passenger ship, board it, and realize that all the passengers aboard are dead. The submarine then sets off for home with the last of humanity on board.